Unclench Your Jaw, Breathe And Meditate!
As a society, we are fast paced, impatient and stressed out. We want what we want, and we want it now - through clenched teeth and tight shoulders. I remember feeling like this, before I started meditating and doing yoga. I didn't even realize how stressed out I was, until I took my first yoga class. Yoga helped me learn how to tune in to my body and just feel what was going on. I realized that I was flushed, shaky and my shoulders were up around my ears most of the time. And I clenched my teeth and jaw 24 hours a day.
Little by little, I learned to soften my body, to let go of the physical stress and tension. It all started with simple awareness and breathing - you can do it too. Learn to check in with your body. Stop and ask yourself, "how am I feeling right now in this moment?" If you feel tension somewhere specific, see if you can soften it a bit. Unclench your teeth and jaw. Soften your mouth as much as you can. Soften your eyes and the space between your eyebrows. Relax your shoulders. Notice your breathing.
Then deepen your breath. Long, slow deep breaths, in and out through the nose, or in through the nose and out through the mouth. Relax your body even more. Sit and breathe like this for between 2 and five minutes, with your eyes closed. Do it now.
Congratulations, you've just started meditating! That's all there is to it. It is simple, but it is not always easy. Your mind might wander; your to-do list might creep into your head, just try to let it go and refocus on relaxing your body and breathing deeply. The more you practice, the better you'll feel.
There are many techniques and methods to meditation. This is just one. If you encouter trouble with being comfortable in your seated position, or if other specific matters come up. I can help you through them, either in private sessions or in my group meditation classes. Check my Schedule for my next Meditation Workshop in the Pittsburgh area.
Learning to let go of stress can help bring your body into a greater state of health and your mind into a more focused, calm place. Plus, you can experience more happiness in your life overall! Doesn't that sound worth it - for just five minutes a day?
